Cubs Acquire Jason Kendall

The Cubs traded Rob Bowen and minor league pitcher Jerry Blevins to the Oakland Athletics for catcher Jason Kendall.

Kendall, a .298 career hitter in 12 major league seasons with Pittsburgh and Oakland, was batting only .226 for the A's this season with two homers and 22 RBIs. He was a three-time All-Star with the Pirates and is known for his ability to get on base. He has more walks than strikeouts during his career.

"We certainly feel we're going to be in it the rest of the way. His character and his leadership is terrific. We feel he's still got a lot left in the tank," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said.

"It's a good fit for us, obviously it makes us better on the field and in the clubhouse. I spoke to him about half hour ago and I can't tell you how excited he is. He was thrilled."

Kendall may be a .298 career hitter, but he's nowhere near that number this season. I thought the Cubs were interested in a catcher who could hit? Maybe Kendall's .226 batting average would look healthy on the White Sox, but I'm not sure how it's going to help the Cubs.

Where Kendall is good is behind the plate. He can play just about everyday, and he knows how to handle a pitching staff. Just look at the work he's done in Oakland with Dan Haren, Chad Gaudin, and Joe Blanton. The A's starting rotation has the best ERA in the Majors, and Kendall has been a big part of it.

If he can help get Rich Hill back on track, and bring back Jason Marquis' sinker, he won't ever need a hit for the Cubs.

So as for how I feel about this trade, I'm not excited by it, but I'm not against it either. In the end, the Cubs didn't give up much to get him, so it can only be a positive move for them.